Bath tub for invalids

ABSTRACT

A BATH TUB PRIMARILY INTENDED FOR INVALID BABIES AND TO BE USED IN HOSPITALS SPECIALIZED IN THE CARE OF SUCH BABIES, ADAPTED TO BE FITTED WITHIN A COUNTERTOP OPENING AND PROVIDING AN INCLINED BOTTOM WALL PORTION TO MAINTAIN THE BABIES&#39;&#39; HEAD ABOVE WATER LEVEL, THE TUB BEING ASSOCIATED WITH A WATER SPRAYER HEAD AND FLEXIBLE HOSE SO ARRANGED THAT ONE ATTENDANT CAN BATHE INVALID BABIES.

May 25, 1971 R. M. cHoQuE'r'rE 81m1 Tu Fon :NvALms Filed Dec. 9, 1968 W w w RO VCTE OL/OQUETTE AGENT United States Patent O 3,579,658 BATH TUB FOR INVALIDS Rita Marie Choquette, 1589 Gouin Blvd., East Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Dec. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 782,059 lut. `Cl. A47k 3/024 U.S. Cl. 4-173 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bath tub primarily intended for invalid babies and to be used in hospitals specialized in the care of such babies, adapted to be fitted within a countertop opening and providing an inclined bottom wall portion to maintain the babies` head above water level, the tub being associated with a water sprayer head and flexible hose so arranged that one attendant can bathe invalid babies.

The present invention relates to a bath tub and, more particularly, to a bath tub for bathing invalid persons who cannot sit up.

Giving a bath to invalid persons, adults as well as children and babies, has always been a chore to hospital personnel. Invalids often cannot sit up; therefore, conventional bath tubs generally require at least two attendants for bathing invalids, one to wash the patient and the other to maintain the patient`s head above water level.

It is therefore the general object of the present invention to provide a bath tub for invalid persons which obviates the above-noted disadvantage.

A more specific object of the invention resides in a bath tub in which the bottom forms an inclined surface on which the head and part of the back of the patient may rest to automatically support the patient's head above water level, such that only one attendant is required to bathe the invalid.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a bath tub of the character described, in which the bottom is formed of a first substantially horizontal surface and a second inclined surface, whereby enough water may be collected in the bath tub for case in washing the invalid and yet without immersing the invalids head.

Another object of the invention resides in a bath tub of the character described, adapted to be inserted in an opening of a counter top so that the bath tub is set at a convenient level for the attendant.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a bath tub of the character described, in combination with a conventional extensible water sprayer as used in home kitchens, affording easy vmeans for giving a shower to the exposed portions of the inva1id`s body.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a bath of the character described, which is so proportioned that the patient's seat and feet will rest on the horizontal surface and, therefore, the patient will not have a tendency to slide along the inclined bottom surface portion.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the bath tub arrangement of the invention, taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 2,'

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the bath tub arrangement; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the bath tub proper, taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

3,579,658 Patented May 25, 1971 In the drawings, like reference characters indicate like elements throughout.

The bath tub in accordance with the invention is generally indicated at 1. It is preferably made of sheet metal, such as stainless steel and the like non-rusting material; it is of 'generally rectangular shape when seen in top plan view and comprises a bottom wall made of two portions, namely: a substantially horizontal portion 2 and an upwardly inclined portion 3. These two portions form respective substantially flat surfaces and join along a line 4, which is transverse to the long axis of the bath. The included angle between portions 2 and 3 preferably vary between and although a steeper inclination may be found desirable for certain applications.

The bath tub includes upstanding lateral walls 5 and end walls 6, 6' merging with the bottom portions 2 and 3 along rounded comers. The walls 5 and 6, 6' extend from the entire periphery of the bottom.

The higher end wall 6 merges with the end of the substantially horizontal portion 2 of the bottom, while the end wall 6' merges with the outer end of the inclined bottom portion 3.

The walls 5, `6 and 6' are provided at their upper edge with an outwardly directed continuous flange 7 surroundin'g the entire periphery of the bath tub and disposed in a substantially common plane.

The bath tub 1 is adapted to be fitted within an opening 8 of a counter top 9, said counter top being substantially at the same height from the floor as conventional kitchen counter tops.

The peripheral flange 7 of the bath tub rests directly on the counter top 9.

The bath tub is provided with a dran opening 10, preferably disposed at one corner of the horizontal portion 2, said horizontal portion being slightly downwardly inclined towards drain 10 for proper drainage. More particularly, the bottom wall defining the horizontal portion 2 is slightly creased along a line 11, which ls inclined with respect to the long axs of the bath and runs from the dran opening towards the junction line 4; the surfaces on each side of line 11 are slightly downwardly inclined towards crease line 11, as shown in FIG. 3, and also towards dran opening 10 in the direction of line 11.

The dran opening 10 of the bath tub is connected to a conventional dran tube 12 and a conventional kitchen hot and cold water faucet 13 is fitted on the counter top 9 adjacent the deeper end of the bath tub, the common water discharge neck 14 overlying the tub deeper part preferably along the longitudinal center line of the tub. Thus, the faucet valve knobs 15 are disposed at an easily accessible place adjacent the bath.

Hot and cold water pipes 16 are connected to the body of the faucet 13 in the usual manner.

The bath tub of the invention is further associated with a conventional water sprayer 17, such as used in home kitchens, said sprayer being connected to a fiexible tube 18, such that it may be lifted up from the base 19 through which the tube 18 extends. Therefore, an invalid resting in the bath tub 1 may be conveniently showered with the sprayer 17.

The patient is laid on the bottom of the bath, such that his legs and seat rest directly on the horizontal portion 2, while his back and head rest on the inclined bottom portion 3. Thus, the patient's head is always above water level, even if the bath tub is completely filled with water.

For invalid children up to, for instance, 3 or 4 years old, the bath of the invention may have the following dimensions` The rectangular size of the bath from wall to wall is 36" x 18", the height of wall 6 is about 6";

the height of wall 6' is about 2"; and the length of substantially horizontal bottom portion 2 is 15"; the included angle between portions 2 and 3 is about 170; the percentage of the length of the horizontal portion 2 with respect to the total length of the bottom of the bath is about 411%. However, this percentage or ratio may vary depending on the age of the patient, it being known that the proportions of the different parts of the body vary with age. In all cases, the bath tub is proportioned so that the seat and legs of the patient may rest on the bottom surface 2. The depth and overall size of the bath may also obviously vary in accordance with the patient's age and size.

It is very easy for only one attendant to bathe an invalid with the bath tub in accordance With the invention, as there is no need for another person to maintain the patient's head above water level. The body parts exposed above water level can be easily washed down with the sprayer 17.

As the bath is at a convenient kitchen table top level, there is no need for the attendant to lean down over the patient.

What I claim is:

1. A bath tub primarily intended for invalid babies, comprisng, in combination, a counter top having a rectangular opening made therein, a rectangular tub having a pair of lateral walls and a pair of end walls, a bottom wall and an outwardly directed fiange integral with and protruding from the top edge of said end and lateral walls at the entire periphery of said tub, the latter inserted into said counter top opening with said fiange resting on said counter top to suspend the tub from said counter top, said bottom wall defining a first substantially horizontal portion and a second upwardly inclined portion merging with said first portion about a transverse junction line located at less than half the length of said bath tub from the end wall merging with said first portion, said first portion having a drain opening located near a corner of said tub defined by said last-named end wall and by a lateral wall, said first portion having a crease line extending from said drain opening towards said transverse junction line and inclined to the longitudinal axis of said tub, the surfaces of said first portion being downwardly inclined towards said crease line and also towards said drain opening in the direction of said crease line.

2. A bath tub as claimed in claim I, further including a water sprayer equipped with a manually-operable valve, and a flexible hose slidably extending through a hole of said counter top adjacent said tub, and having one end connected to said water sprayer and the other end adapted to be connected to a water supply under pressure.

3. A bath tub primarily intended for invalid babies comprising, in combination, a counter top having an opening made therein, a tub of generally rectangular Shape having a bottom forming a first substantially horizontal surface and a second upwardly inclined surface, said two surfaces joining along a line transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tub, said tub having upstanding walls at its entire periphery, said bottom merging with said Walls, a fiange protrudng outwardly from the free edge of said upstanding walls at the entire periphery of said tub, said tub inserted within said countertop opening with said fiange resting on said counter top.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 824,454 6/1906 Vanderman 4-173X 853,276 5/1907 Viel 4-173X 1,940,5l4 12/1933 Steinkamp 4-173 2,081,728 5/1937 Bassett 4-173 3,364,504 1/1968 Raeder 4-173 FOREIGN PATENTS 216,705 8/1961 Austria 4-173 841,883 5/1939 France 4-173 590,981 4/1959 Italy 4-173 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B` MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

